The Gakuencho

Rating- T

Disclaimer- I do not own Mai-otome or any of its related characters. Mai-otome belongs to the genius people at Sunrise.

Summary- Continuation of mai-otome. Life after zwei featuring shiz/nat, haruka/yukino, chie/aoi, yohko/midori, Nao, tomoe and more. Love, romance, drama, secrets, lies and the their lives all revealed. Things really aren't that easy.

Hopefully you all didnt have to wait too long for this instalment, as always, AN at the end, and review replies too. enjoy :)


Natsuki taps her foot anxiously on the cold marble floor. She hates the Healing Ward, its always so cold and sterile, not to mention there are so many needles, lotions and potions poking out everywhere. Stupid Healing Ward. She hates it here. The nurses always keep her for too long and they always stab her giant needles when she's here. Stupid needles. Stupid Ward. Stupid -

"Natsuki I can hear you thinking from over here," says Shizuru. She points towards a chair and motions for Natsuki to sit down, who does so obediently.

"Yeah, yeah." She looks to Shizuru who is fussing away with some bandages in the far corner of the room. She exhales loudly; it could be worse she thinks. Fortunately Shizuru managed to convince the nurses to leave them alone in the ward and let her tend to the Principle's injuries herself, a decision they only accepted due to Natsuki's stubbornness and Shizuru's qualifications in Healing and Medicine. After a few incidents when they were younger involving nurses who were a bit too grabby and attentive to Natsuki (much to Shizuru's annoyance) and Natsuki's general stubbornness to receive treatment, Shizuru had taken it upon herself to study in Healing and treatments. Shizuru found it was one of the best decisions of her life, and soon made things easier for everyone (it was also a bonus that no one else would be touching her Natsuki).

"Shizuru look I'm fine. Besides we're late for-" she says and stands up.

"Sit" Shizuru exclaims abruptly and gives Natsuki a look, one of those looks that means she will be in deep trouble if she doesn't do exactly as told. Natuski reluctantly sits down and starts to tap her foot even quicker. "Can you dematerialize and remove your top for me?"

"Yeah sure" a light flashes in the room and Natsuki is in her Otome Column uniform. She undoes the top buttons and shrugs the top half off, leaving her only in her bra. Shizuru approaches her with the medical trolley and takes a seat in the chair opposite the principle. Shizuru frowns and touches above Natsuki's wound, caressing the skin. The slash is not deep, but it is long, extending the entire length of Natsuki's waist just above her bellybutton.

"It doesn't hurt I swear" Shizuru nods and takes a needle from the trolley.

"Ok I'm going to have to inject above the wound with a nano solution, this will numb the area and let your nano-bots work quicker in healing you."

"It's fine, just do it."

"It may hurt, it's quite a large needle."

"Shizuru look I'm not in pain at all just do it." Shizuru positions the needle.

"I just want to warn you, I know how you hate needles."

"I'm a grown adult I'm not afraid of needles."

"Ok Natsuki, I'm going to count to three."

"Just do it already, I mean Its just a tiny wound and – OWWWW!" Natsuki stops halfway to see that Shizuru is injecting her. Holy crap! Shizuru wasn't kidding when she said it would hurt. Natsuki bites her lip and grips the chair, trying to look as normal as possible.

"Ok all done" Shizuru says with a smile

"Crap that really hurt!"

"I did warn you."

"Yeah but still – you surprised me! I wasn't ready!" Natsuki yells like a child. Shizuru starts to apply a clear solution on the wound that binds the skin together lightly to help quicken the healing process.

"I'm sure that injection hurt less than Midori's sword," says Shizuru. Natsuki automatically raises her arms as Shizuru applies large gauze and starts to wrap a bandage around her.

"No. I'm pretty sure the injection hurt more in fact!" Shizuru grins as she spies Natsuki pouting and starts grumbling to herself. She places a quick kiss on the principles nose, which Natsuki tries to shy away from.

"My poor Natsuki. Who would believe the cool Gakuencho who defeated the great Aswad leader is pouting in my arms because of a needle."

"Hey it was a big needle, you said so yourself." She retorts back. Shizuru cuts off the bandage and helps Natsuki put on her uniform again.

"Ok, ok. Ka ni na." Natsuki smiles again and watches as Shizuru loving does up her buttons.

"Hey Shizuru, in the fight" she pauses and looks away "How did I look?"

"Incredibly cool."

"Heh heh, really?" Natsuki says and grins widely.

"Yes you did, I knew you would win my Natsuki"

"I beat her pretty good, didn't I?"

"You did. The ice cage you created was very clever; I haven't seen you use your blasts that way before. How did you think up that technique?"

"Actually it was a spur of the moment thing. I looked at the Royal booth by chance and saw Arika and Mashiro eating Meringues." Shizuru scoffs but covers it up and raises her hand to her mouth trying to suppress her giggling but she can't hold it in and soon bursts out laughing. "Hey it worked didn't it?"

"Haha. Oh I'm sorry Natsuki" she says catching her breath, "its just that Sara was going on about an ancient otome techniques, and she said you must have studied up and replicated a technique of a legendary ice otome. She was so impressed by her dear Onee-san. I actually believed her as well even though it sounded odd in my mind. My, my she'll be heartbroken to hear how you actually came upon it."

"No don't tell her!" Natsuki says holding Shizuru's hands and looking intently into her eyes. Sara is completely devoted to Natsuki, and always has been. Sara looks up to Natsuki, and holds her high up on a pedestal in her mind, and in a certain forceful 'I only wants whats best for you' way, she ensures Natsuki reaches those high standards in real life. The blond can however become very strict to her Onee-san if she wants to. One time she cut off all access to Mayonaise for a week because Natsuki fell asleep at her desk and drooled on some official documents. Sara was very, very, angry and truthfully Natsuki never wants to encounter the angry version of the younger otome again, usually the result is Natsuki being punished in some sort of awful way.

"Shizuru no! Tell her I've been studying up and researching battle tactics!"

"Is Natsuki telling me to lie?"

"Yes! For the sake of your Gakeuncho and Garderobe, I am asking you to lie." Shizuru stands up and walks to the door and Natsuki follows. "God Sara will probably make me read all those ancient Otome books as punishment if she hears how I really came up with that technique."

"I'm not a person who lies Gakuencho, you'll have to promise me something in return" Shizuru says with a glint in her eye.

"Anything."

"Dinner-"

"Done!" Natsuki exclaims.

"With Daddy." Shizuru watches as Natsuki's facial expression slowly changes from delight to confusion, and then terror.

"Now Shizuru, Shi-Chan, honey, really? I didn't hear the full bargain. That's not fair now" Shizuru smiles and links arms with Natsuki.

"C'mon Natsuki we're late for the meeting, we'll discuss details later."

"But Shizuru!"


It is a clear and bright day in Windbloom. The younger corals are doing their training drills and are running around the track. Nina is sitting on the grass on the edge of the track watching them as they pass round. It brings her peace to watch such a thing, it reminds her of her own blissful days training, though not too long ago, the memory of it feels so distant. She sighs and stands up grabbing her books beside her. A postcard falls out and she picks it up smiling to herself. It's from Sergay, he's written to ask how she's finding her studies and to tell her not to worry about him, and he's enjoying his work as a farmer and is looking forward to the next harvest.

"What daddy fantasy are you having now?" Nina turns around quickly recognizing the harsh voice; Tomoe is stood behind her with a smug look on her face.

"Tomoe-San" Nina pauses unsure of how to react to her visitor.

"I can't believe they made you trias. The girl who operated the Organ. The girl who caused massive destruction and chaos."

"And I can't believe how they let a psychopathic maniac like you back into Gaderobe" Nina retorts.

"Psychopathic am I? At least I didn't have any daddy issues. You know I always thought General Wang was so handsome, I wonder what he'll think of me if I go pay him a visit."

"Don't talk about Sergay like that!"

"You know I'd be ever so nice to him. Maybe teach him a thing or two about women, after all the ones in his life so far have been so, so disappointing" Nina clenches her fist

"You leave him alone!"

"Make me" Tomoe hisses. Their GEMS emit a bright light, initiating their Robes and they inch closer to each other and adopt a fighting stance

"Whats going on here?!" Nao shouts as she quickly rushes towards them and puts herself between the two. The girls power down quickly.

"Why I'm simply talking and suddenly dear Nina here starts to get all agitated and -"

"Enough" says Nao she pauses and she glares at the green haired girl "Maguerite-san go."

"But Nao-Sempai don't you want to hear about-"

"I said go! And that's an order from your Column, and if you don't move in the next five seconds I will beat you up myself!" Nao yells. Tomoe simply grins and looks towards Nina before turning and leaving. Nina exhales the breath she was holding and relaxes.

"And what was that about?" Nao asks.

"She was trying to provoke me."

"Trying? She succeeded. You were about to summon your robe and pummel the girl."

"Yeah well so was she."

"No she can't. Tomoe may be able to request her robe just as you or I can, but she needs authorization from the main system that the Gakuencho and Yohko-san control. If you were to even charge at her a single hit would put her in a coma in her civilian form."

"But if that's true why did she even want to provoke me?" Nina asks

"Beats me, she's a nutter plain and simple. But don't fall for her traps next time." Nao places her hands on the girls shoulders and bends down slightly to look her in the eye. "You ok?"

"I'm fine. Just feel like I've been made a fool of."

"You're my fool," says Nao as she tucks a strand of hair behind Nina's ear, her hand lingers on Nina's cheek for a while. Nina looks up from the floor and finds that she meets Nao's deep gaze. She stares into the red heads eyes and they quietly share a moment. She watches as Nao blinks slowly, she's so close she can count the girls eye lashes if she wants too. Nina feels her heart beat wildly against her chest. Nina wonders if Nao feels the same, if she feels anything at all. Probably not Nina thinks. Nao is close with a lot of girls and this game of seduction she plays with them always works. She uses them for fun and when she gets bored she leaves them. 'You've picked the worse person to get a school girl crush on' Nina thinks.

"Nina I'd like to talk what happened the other day" Nao whispers sincerely. The blue haired girl gulps as the guilt fills her. She can't stand another empty intimate moment.

"It was nothing."

"Nothing? You cancelled on our evening and then I don't see you for days and you ignore me at every turn. Did I do something wrong?"

"No Nao of course not" Nina says and pauses "It's just-"

"You can tell me you know?" She stares into the red head's eyes again, and for a moment she feels she can just confess how she feels. It's just a crush after all. Maybe Nao will just laugh it off, or politely reject her feelings, and then she could get over this whole fiasco, who knows maybe Nao might reciprocate her feelings. She opens her mouth, but no words come out. This is probably a good thing because from the corner of her eye she sees the glint of silver hair shine in the sunlight. Nora spots the two and waves from the other side of the track. Nao lets go of her shoulders and waves back, and they both smile at the silver haired woman who is now surrounded by the enthusiastic Corals who are chatting rapidly with her.

"Are you two dating?" Nina asks suddenly. She covers her mouth with her hand in shock at her out loud thought, "forget I asked. It's none of my business." Nao just grins

"We're not dating no. We're just keeping each other company, trying to fill an empty space somewhere. You know?" Nina nods.

"I do." They stay silent for a moment, soaking everything in. Nora waves again, this time in a beckoning motion.

"Sorry Nina I have to go again. I'm needed at some silly Gaderobe meeting about Natsuki's new toy. But can I come round to see you tomorrow and we can talk then?"

"Yeah sure." They smile at each other and Nao walks off.

"No cancelling ok?" she calls out.

"I promise" Nina replies. She watches as Nao approaches the Silver haired maiden, and looks on as Nora places a hand on Nao's waist as they walk off towards the main building. Empty space? Nina muses, it's a feeling she knows all too well indeed.


"Congratulations again Yohko" a fellow research says as he leaves the laboratory.

"Thank you. Good work today." With a tired sigh, she smiles to herself as she closes the lab door and heads over to the main computers, shutting them down one by one.

"Yohko?" Midori calls out letting herself into the lab.

"Ah Midori! There you are!" Yohko leaves the computer area and runs down the small flight of stairs towards the red head. "I've been looking all over for you. Where did you go?" she asks worriedly.

"I met up with a few Black-Valley people. I kinda stuck out like a sore thumb with all the researchers around. Plus I don't think they would have been quite as relaxed with me around."

"Please you're harmless." Midori gives her a look "Ok well to me you're harmless. But really you should have stayed. Everyone was commenting about how good the fight was."

"It was more like everyone was commenting how good your invention was" says Midori. She turns away and sneezes and rubs her nose lightly. "Damn Gakuencho and her snowcone. I've gone and gotten a cold probably."

"Really? Your own nano bots should have prevented such a thing. But still lets go do a check-up." Yohko takes Midori's hand and drags her towards the lab area.

"No Yohko I'm fine. I just sneezed, its nothing." Midori pulls away but Yohko tugs even harder, she turns around to face the Aswad and walks backwards as she struggles with Midori towards the lab.

"Midori stop being a stubborn goat."

"Hey you're the one being stubborn. I don't need a damn checkup."

"Its better to be on the safe side and besides – WAH!" Yohko yells she trips backwards on something. Midori quickly places a hand behind Yohko's back as they fall together and spins so Midori lands first take the brunt of the fall. With a loud oomph they land flat on the metal floor. Yohko is resting on top of Midori and she pushes herself up lightly and looks down at Midori who is scowling slightly. After a moments silence they start to giggle before laughing out loud at the situation. Yohko despite her great intelligence is actually perhaps one of the clumsiest people ever. It was often the case when they were younger that Midori had to save the other girl from falling over something or tripping. They both continue to laugh and Yohko relaxes and places her head on Midori's chest.

"Crap Yohko. Clumsy as ever eh? How have you been surviving without me all these years?" Midori asks in jest. Yohko pushes herself up and rests her weight on her elbows, shes face to face above Midori now.

"Hey that wasn't the A-grade saving I'm used to you know? We still fell."

"Yeah well I didn't expect your weight to push me down too. It's been a while since I caught one of your falls."

"Well thank you for saving me anyway." Yohko leans down and places a quick kiss on Midori's cheek. She pushes herself up and stares down at Midori, and she's filled with the sudden feeling of longing, of yearning for something. Her heart aches and she imagines herself as the stranded voyager who is desperate to return home. Midori is her home, she always has been.

"I haven't been surviving." Yohko blurts out.

"Yohko?"

"Without you all these years I haven't been surviving. It's been so painful without you Midori." Yohko feels a tear slide down her face; she didn't even realize she was crying. Midori, her face stern as ever slowly puts a hand on the researcher's cheek and wipes some tears away. Then in a heartbreaking moment her expression softens and her lip trembles.

"Then why did you leave?" There. She said it. The question that's been plaguing her mind for years ever since Yohko left. So many times she's thought of scenarios causing Yohko's depature, so many times has it consumed her and ruined her sleep, so many times has she cried herself to sleep. Her heart is beating fast and it feels like someone is clenching it with their fist, holding it in their grasp and not letting go, this is the feeling she's had every time she's thought of Yohko in the past, she still feels this way right now. Yohko sits up, and Midori follows her, but they hold hands tightly not wanting to let each other go.

"I was scared" Yohko whispers, she pauses and lets out a deep breath "Do you remember when Reito- Rad, first got ill? God Midori, he was so happy, the happiest out of all of us. Then he mentioned getting tired, feeling weak, having no energy, and then slowly losing the strength in each of his limbs. It was awful, I remember him yelling and crying as the healer told him he contracted the disease. That disease destroyed him. I think it destroyed all of us, but you and I we survived, and though my heart broke for him I knew I'd survive because in a selfish way, you were ok. But then-"

"I got ill."

"Yes, I started to notice you were demonstrating the symptoms. It was too late for Rad, but I knew I could still save you Midori. I stayed up every night researching into the capabilities and extensions of our GEM, but I soon realized that its powers would never really cure us of the disease; it would only slow it down slightly. I had to do more Midori. I just had to save you. One night I saw you cough so violently in your sleep, and I made the decision to leave the Black Valley to go to find a cure."

"Why didn't you tell me at least? You could have explained to me what you wanted to do. Dammit Yohko I would have gone with you! I would have followed you to the ends of the earth!"

"I know you would have Midori, but your body was breaking down bit by bit. You wouldn't have survived without the treatment from the healers, even I didn't know all the combinations of potions and medicines used by our healers. And honestly I didn't know if I could even find a cure, I didn't want to give anyone any false hope." Midori stands up quickly and starts to pace, trying to control your anger.

"Are you serious?" Midori yells. "Yohko I thought I had done something to make you leave. I thought it was my fault. You don't leave people you love Yohko! You just don't!" Yohko stands up and tries to approach Midori but she backs away.

"I didn't want you to die! I wanted you to live. Even without me, I wanted you to live. I couldn't just stand by and watch as you degenerated, I didn't want to see you become a cyborg."

"Would you have stopped loving me if I was made a cyborg?"

"Of course not."

"Then what was the point?! And you know I didn't become a cyborg did I? The leader created a new version of the GEM and it worked on me. I don't have to become a cyborg."

"Midori, how on earth do you think I know how to retune and fix your GEM? I created it. I started off work at a Lab in Cardair and made it then sent it to the leader. I told him not to tell you otherwise I knew you'd come looking for me." Midori abruptly stops her pacing, and she stares at Yohko, her GEM feels like it's burning right now. "Midori everything I've done, I've done for you" Yohko says. She approaches the Aswad leader slowly, but when close enough takes her hand and looks into her eyes.

"Why didn't you come back though if you knew it worked and I was alive?"

"When I heard that the GEM was actually working I wanted to come back and see you and explain everything. But Leader told me that it didn't work on some other people with the disease. I knew then that what I created wasn't the cure all, I couldn't return yet." She pauses and takes a breath "Midori I'm so sorry for all the pain I've caused you, for all the pain I've caused us. But I never stopped loving you."

"Do you know how many nights I wished I died or became a cyborg even? I wanted to forget everything about you so I wouldn't be in pain anymore. I wasn't myself for ages. I died on the inside. The love of my life disappeared with only a note saying 'don't look for me'. How does that not mess with a person's mind? I searched for you for ages. I asked passing travelers and merchants to send word to me if they saw you. I thought maybe you died even or you were kidnapped! Everyone told me to give up, to admit that you really weren't coming back, but I told them you would. Every time the Valley moved I always made sure to make secret notes for you so you could always find where we moved next, in case you ever returned. It was only after several years that I got over you, I put all thoughts of you away in the back of my mind. God I had a damn near heart attack when I saw you again."

"I'm so sorry. Midori please, please tell me you forgive me," Yohko pleads. Midori closes her eyes for a moment and thinks, processing everything.

"It's a lot to process Yohko, you have to understand that." She opens her eyes slowly to gaze at Yohko who had even more tears on her face. She wipes them away again with both hands "Ten years Yohko, it's been ten years. I've had to learn to live without you, to learn to survive again. "

"Midori?"

"In a way you did have to leave because of me, and though you leaving was the worst thing to ever happen to me, I and our people are alive because of it. It's how I'm standing before you right now in the flesh and not as cold metal. I can't stay mad at you for that. I understand, I do, but the way you did it was wrong. It shows you didn't trust me enough to let you go. You didn't believe I'd let you go willingly, so you left me. I'm not angry, or mad, but I can't say those words of forgiveness just yet."

"I understand" Yohko whispers, she turns to walk away but Midori grabs her arm and quickly pulls her into a hug. Though shocked by the action, Yohko puts her arms around the red head's waist and holds her tightly. She feels Midori leaning in and placing her head on her shoulder.

"But I still love you Yohko. I never stopped loving you."

"Me too."

"Then we'll be ok." Midori pulls away slightly but comes in close so their foreheads are touching each other, they're so unbearably close, but it feels so perfect.

"We will." Yohko whispers. Then in one slow, sensual move, Midori leans in and red lips touch pink in the most emotional of kisses ever imagined. And Yohko, the stranded voyager has finally returned home.


Omake

Scene: Healing ward

Natsuki :Its just a small cut really

Nurse: Oh no Gakuencho, we must have a look at your wound. so undress and we'll clean it and give you a naked sponge bath later

Natsuki: You what?

Nurse: I said we'll clean the wound

Natsuki: no you said something about a naked sponge bath

Nurse: I didnt

Natsuki : you did

Nurse: JUST GET IN THE TUB ALREADY! *holds a large pair of scissors*

A giant shadow appears

Shizuru: WHO DARES TOUCH MY NATSUKI?! *Holds an even large pair of scissors* ONLY I GET TO BATHE HER

Natsuki: but i really dont need a sponge bath

Shizuru: JUST GET IN THE TUB!


A/N

WOW thank you everyone for such positive reviews. I admit that after leaving the story for so long i was scared no one would care anymore, but i am overwhelemed by the response. it just goes to show, that a story like Mai-Hime/otome can keep its fans for so long even after the air date, and fanfiction is but a tribute to the story and to the fans. thanks everyone!

About this chapter- I thought i'd provide a bit of fluff and relief with Shiznat, and you can see that the chapter slowly intensifies (emotion wise anyway) with Nina/nao and finally Yohko and Midori. Honestly with Yohko and Midori I want them to have their happy ending but as a slightly older couple with most history and heartbreak i can't imagine it happening so soon. One kiss doesn't make all their problems go away. but at least they talked and finally got things sorted out at least! i dont know, if my partner left me and reappeared ten years later, i really dont know what i'd do. I think Midori's reaction is a very honesty one, shes not mad, having understood the situation, but she's still heart broken, but she loves Yohko enough to say 'i'm going to try to forgive you' and trying is the best solution really. what did you guys think?

This may seem short-ish with regards to coverage of couples, but i end chapters at certain points, not because i dont have enough to right, but because it feels right to end that segment or portion of the story at that point. There will be more fluffy segments in the next chapter.


Replies

Animeadict007 - thank you for reading into the symbolism :) it always makes me happy when someone reallises the small notes of the character's history in their actions/personality. and for Nina/nao, we'll see how that develops wont we ;) i'm making it slow, just because i think Nina's character would do that, after all she's been through. thank you for the reviews!

Quaths10- thank you very much for writing a review. and dont worry about english not being your mother tongue, that just makes your review more meaningful to me.

Kurakami - thank you for the constant reviews :) and glad you enjoyed the fight

Platina GF - thank you for your review, i'm glad your enjoying it so far.

Immortal of clan Nightstrider- oh wow i didnt know durandal was featured in Fire Emblem 7, but haha yes pretty ironic. actually i was going with the name because it is the name of a sword featured in all the final fantasy games, its always one of those ultimate swords one can collect. and dont worry about the pointless ramblings, i do it all the time! why look above in my A/N ;) glad your enjoying the story so far

Villain's river- thanks for following so far, glad you liked the omake, i'm always scared they're not too funny

Mauie0810- thanks for the review, glad you liked the fight

Guest- thanks, whoever you are :)

Manticore-gurl071134 - gosh that was a hard name to type haha. glad you enjoyed the fight and omake :)